Professional Online Presence for Filmmakers (Part 1)

In our world, you can still book gigs off a handshake and a text—most of us do, thanks to relationships that we've built over time. But how do you get new work? And for new filmmakers looking to get into the industry, how do you get work at all?

In a chronically online world, we've become accustomed to searching online for our truths. After all, the first thing a new producer does after that handshake is google you. In the half-minute between budget lines, they’re hunting for proof: real work, a real email, a real website. And that proof--that the person I'm reaching out to is a professional filmmaker – is what we want to talk about today.

We believe that every filmmaker should have a professional presence—website, social page, and domain-based email—because even in a relationship business, clean proof-of-work wins tie-breakers and opens unexpected doors.

What we mean by professional online presence

A regular presence is whatever happened to accumulate on your personal Instagram and a Gmail you made in college. A professional presence is curated and intentional. It includes:

1. A professional work email from a domain that is not gmail.
2. A website that clearly says what you do & has a contact page.
3. A social media page with some small work samples or BTS.

It does four things your casual feed doesn’t:

1. Signals reliability. A site on your own domain and a domain-based email tell clients you’ve done this before, will invoice correctly, and won’t ghost when approvals get weird.
2. Clarifies offer and fit. A proper Services page, a reel, and two-sentence case studies show what you do, for whom, and at what scale. That lets the right clients self-select and the wrong ones self-deselect—saving you time.
3. Centralizes proof. Producers want to see recent, relevant work fast. A website and social media page tells the story quickly.
4. Survives turnover. People change jobs. URLs and professional emails keep referrals alive when your contact at the brand moves on. Who would you rather contact your first week of work? Tom@thePhotoStudio.com or tjitts20@gmail.com?

Rule of thumb: If a stranger can’t tell in 30 seconds what you make and how to hire you, you’re leaving money on the table.

A quick disclaimer: Why it's important despite what people will tell you

Look. There are going to be people who read this and say, "I never had any of this, and look how I turned out." There are going to be 10 & 20 year veterans who will tell you that social media and websites aren't necessary because they are getting constant work with emails that are adude69420@gmail.com & dandysandy2310@yahoo.com.

You are not them. You don't have 10-20 years of constant networking and jobs and a rolodex of people who know your name and your work. Non-professional contacts worked for them, and you need to do what is best for you.

The industry is shifting. And despite reports that the industry is dying, people are still making things all over the world and all over the country.

If you were a random producer, hiring people to make an 30 second ad spot for a day, and are given the following two contact recommendations, who are you choosing?

adude69420@gmail.com, or Nick@finalvfinal.com?

We live in a searchable society. Your goal is to be found.

What you need: email, website, social.

Think of this as the bare minimum, all which you can build in a weekend.

• Domain + professional email (e.g., yourname@yourstudio.com or Firstname@FirstLastName.com). This is the anchor.
• Website on that domain. One page is fine to start if it’s well organized & clearly states what you do.
• One active social channel you actually maintain (2 posts a month) More is not better—consistency is.

The pieces talk to each other: social bio → website; website → email/contact form; email signature → website and social. It's a closed loop system, with multiple points for entry.

What should your email be?

Short, clean, and on your domain. Formats that age well:

• first@yourstudioname.com
• firstname@yourstudioname.com
• hello@yourstudio.com (good shared inbox)
• Firstname@FirstLastName.com

You don't need a company to make an email domain; you just need a name you like and that sounds professional. If you decide to rebrand in the future, you can just automatically forward emails to your new address.

I've contacted a ton of people who aren't LLC's, but have professional emails that make it sound like they do. PropsGirl.com, SlashOLight.com, LastNameCreative.com—all gave me confidence I was dealing with someone who was serious about their profession, and that's all people really want: someone who cares.

Quick tip: Set your email up like you’re busy, even if you’re not yet:

• Signature block (plain, mobile-friendly):

Your Name | Job Title 
Studio Name if you have one 
yourname@yourstudio.com · (###) ###-#### · City, ST
yourstudio.com  |  vimeo.com/yourstudio  |  instagram.com/yourstudio

• Inbox hygiene: labels/folders for Leads, Active Jobs, Invoices, Vendors. Create filters for “RFP,” “estimate,” “PO,” “net-30,” “SOW,” “COI,” “reel.”
• Deliverability: when you set up domain email, add SPF/DKIM/DMARC records so your estimate doesn’t land in spam. Your registrar or email host will have copy-paste records—it's an easy five minutes well spent.
• Out of office templates: keep a short out-of-office message for when you are out of town (or just a promise of reply by next business day). Reliability is the product.

What should be on your website?

Think “fast, clear, current.” You don’t need a 12-page sitemap. You need a homepage that holds everything a producer wants to know: you exist, you know what you are doing, and you've worked before.

Here is how producers think: I am hiring people for a day to make the best work possible; if I have only one shot to get it right, do I want someone who is new or someone who I know has experience and knows what they are doing?

We're going to choose the person who knows what they are doing. Which is why you need to have a website that shows it—through clear communication, BTS photos & hero projects, and an easy way to contact you.

Homepage (above the fold):

• A plain-English headline: “Chicago Commercial Cinematographer | Producer specializing in sports documentary | Experienced LA-Based Gaffer
• A tight reel or 2–3 pictures from your hero projects. Don’t make people hunt.
• A simple call-to-action (CTA): “Book a 15-minute intro” or “Request an estimate" Easy to find and fill out in a form.

Selected Work (3–6 projects if you have them)

• Each project gets a still, one-sentence brief.
  • “Two-day shoot, five deliverables for a healthcare brand.
• Add credits (client/agency/role) and a 45–90s cut. Blur or redact if NDAs demand it; the proof is the shape of the work, not the logo.

About:

• One photo that looks like you on set.
• Two sentences on approach: what you care about and how you work with clients.

Contact:

• Form + direct email + phone.
• Add a tiny line on response time: “Will reply within one business day.”

Technical basics (worth the hour):

• Mobile-first layout. Most first looks are on phones.
• Fast loads: compress images, keep your homepage under ~2–3 MB.
• Accessible: alt text on images; captioned video where possible.
• SEO hygiene: page titles that read like a query (“Commercial video production — City, ST”), meta descriptions, human-readable URLs.
• No auto-play with sound. You’re sending this to people in open offices.

What should be on your social?

Pick one primary channel to maintain at least twice monthly. If you’re B2B heavy (agencies, corporate, nonprofit), LinkedIn plus Instagram is a strong combo. If you publish longer cuts or BTS breakdowns, add YouTube. If you're strictly freelance, consider Instagram your best option.

Social media has become the modern day portfolio; even just light examples of your work and some BTS pics are enough for people to know you're the real deal.

Profile setup (once):

• Handle matches your domain or studio name.
• Bio says what you do and where: “Director–DP making commercial & branded doc work. Chicago ↔ Midwest. Inquiries → yourstudio.com.”
• Link in bio goes to your site’s contact page (use a simple /contact URL).
• Pinned posts: intro post, latest reel, recent project.

Content cadence (sustainable):

• 2 posts/month is enough if they’re strong:
  1. BTS or micro-lesson (lighting diagram, lens choice, problem solved).
  2. Work-in-progress or tip (short before/after grade, edit trick, audio fix).
• Stories/Reels for day-of momentum; keep it tidy—no chaotic dumps of twenty clips.

Captions and tags:

• Write for producers: short & clear
• Tag collaborators and clients (with permission). It extends reach and credit.
• Use a few relevant hashtags; skip the carpet bomb.

Grid hygiene:

• Keep personal hot takes and drunk karaoke on a private account.
• If your brand is you, it’s fine to show personality—just curate it like you would a reel.

DMs:

• Treat DMs like inbound leads. Move serious ones to email fast: “Appreciate the note—can you email me at yourname@yourstudio.com so I can send an estimate?"

Closing: Put four hours on the calendar and make yourself known

A professional presence doesn’t replace your network; it amplifies it. The first time someone hears your name, your site and social should confirm the recommendation and make the next step easy. That’s the job.

If you’re starting from zero, here’s a realistic four-hour sprint:

1. Buy a domain and set up hello@yourstudio.com and firstname@yourstudio.com. Add a clean signature with your phone and city. (30–45 min)
2. Publish a one-page site with headline, reel or three selects, and a contact form. (90–120 min with a template)
3. Stand up one social profile (match the handle to your domain), write a bio with a clear CTA, pin your reel, and schedule four posts for the next month. (45–60 min)
4. Make a follow-up list: who in your circle should see this? Send five personal emails: short, specific, with the link. (30 min)

Then set a recurring 30-minute weekly slot to keep it current. Swap in a new case study. Post one useful thing. Reply to DMs. That’s the whole game: be discoverable, be clear, be easy to hire.

Your online presence isn't what will win you every job; personal connections and networking go a long way. But it can be the tipping point for those you haven't been able to meet personally, and for those who hear about you as a recommendation.

We live in a searchable society; your goal is to be found.